Thermal transfer film and organic electroluminescent device prepared using the same

Abstract

A thermal transfer film includes a base layer, and a light-to-heat conversion layer on the base layer, the light-to-heat conversion layer including at least one of particles selected from tungsten oxide particles and composite tungsten oxide particles, the particles being present in an amount of about 20 wt % to about 65 wt % in the light-to-heat conversion layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A thermal transfer film, comprising:
 a base layer; 
 a light-to-heat conversion layer on the base layer, the light-to-heat conversion layer including at least one of particles selected from tungsten oxide particles and composite tungsten oxide particles, the particles being present in an amount of about 20 wt % to about 65 wt % in the light-to-heat conversion layer; and 
 a target layer on the light-to-heat conversion layer, the light-to-heat conversion layer being between the target layer and the base layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the particles have an average particle diameter of greater than 0 to about 500 nm or less. 
     
     
       3. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light-to-heat conversion layer includes the tungsten oxide particles, and 
 the tungsten oxide particles are represented by Formula W y O z , where W is tungsten, O is oxygen, and 2.2≦z/y≦3.0. 
 
     
     
       4. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light-to-heat conversion layer includes the composite tungsten oxide particles, and 
 the composite tungsten oxide particles are represented by Formula M x W y O z , where M is at least one element selected from H, He, an alkali metal, an alkali earth metal, a rare earth element, a halogen, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, B, P, S, Se, Te, Ti, Nb, V, Mo, Ta, Re, Hf, Os, and Bi; W is tungsten; O is oxygen; 0.001≦x/y≦1.1; and 2.2≦z/y≦3.0. 
 
     
     
       5. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer includes a cured product of a composition that includes at least one of particles selected from the tungsten oxide particles and the composite tungsten oxide particles, and a binder. 
     
     
       6. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the composition further includes an initiator. 
     
     
       7. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the composition includes about 20 wt % to about 65 wt % of the particles, about 10 wt % to about 75 wt % of the binder, and about 0.1 wt % to about 25 wt % of the initiator in terms of solid content. 
     
     
       8. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the composition further includes an acrylic polymer dispersant. 
     
     
       9. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the composition includes about 20 wt % to about 65 wt % of the particles, about 10 wt % to about 75 wt % of the binder, about 0.1 wt % to about 25 wt % of the initiator, and about 0.1 wt % to about 30 wt % of the acrylic polymer dispersant in terms of solid content. 
     
     
       10. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the particles are included in the composition in the form of a dispersed solution that includes the particles, the acrylic polymer dispersant, and a solvent. 
     
     
       11. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the dispersed solution includes about 20 wt % to about 65 wt % of the particles, about 0.1 wt % to about 30 wt % of the acrylic polymer dispersant, and the balance of the solvent. 
     
     
       12. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the binder includes a UV curable (meth)acrylate resin. 
     
     
       13. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer has a coating thickness of greater than 0 to about 6 μm or less. 
     
     
       14. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer further includes carbon black. 
     
     
       15. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer includes about 1 wt % to about 70 wt % of the particles and about 30 wt % to about 99 wt % of carbon black in a mixture of the particles and carbon black. 
     
     
       16. The thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate layer on the light-to-heat conversion layer, the light-to-heat conversion layer being between the intermediate layer and the base layer, the intermediate layer being between the transfer layer and the light-to-heat conversion layer. 
     
     
       17. A method of preparing an organic electroluminescent device, the method comprising:
 placing the thermal transfer film as claimed in  claim 1  on a substrate; and 
 illuminating the thermal transfer film with light from the base layer side to activate the light-to-heat conversion layer such that a transfer material is transferred from the transfer layer to a pixel region of the substrate.